Software theater demonstrates pipe cut programming

January 10, 2006

Mazak Optonics, Schaumburg, Ill., hosted a real-time software theater at FABTECH Intl./AWS that demonstrated the use of FG CAD/CAM software for programming of pipe parts. Spectators interacted with the technicians performing the demonstrations, programmed a pipe part, and watched the part be cut on a 3-D rotary laser.

The software is used for multiaxis fabrication on FabriGear and Space Gear CO2lasers. The software, which can be used for cutting pipe, rectangular, and triangular tube and C, H, I, and L beams, can generate cutting instructions for fabricating complex end cut contours with weld-prep bevels and any size or shape hole. The laser system can then cut the part in one operation.

The software incorporates illustrated fill-in-the-blank screens to generate NC code, performs dynamic nesting, and has many preprogrammed cut conditions. Fabricators also have the ability to control cuts and save frequently used cut conditions and setups.

Operators can create NC programs on the PC, allowing the laser to continue while the operator is creating the program for another job. The software also performs a cutting simulation on the PC so precut interference checks can be run without tying the laser up with noncutting tasks.